Minimum number of reviews

Minimum number of views

So id like to start by saying ive had these bags installed since 300 miles and now have almost 1100 miles. That out of the way its not a super long term review but ive used them quite alot and have been pretty impressed. As everyone knows, these are the same bags sold in the Yamaha catalog only without Yamaha badging.
First impressions
Install was very straightforward, took about 30 minutes with only hand tools. Fitment is good as the bags compliment the lines of the bike well in my opinion. The rail system feels a little cheap but looks nice. Despite seeming light duty, ive had no problems with loading the bags down so they are apparently up to the task. I suppose this lightness is actually a benefit in a way as the bags and rails add very little weight to the bike. The brackets and rails are aluminum and the bags are some kind of nylon/textile. Motech calls it "ballistic nylon", whatever that means. Bags are light feeling but seem tough. All zippers are smooth to operate and have rubber pulls so they dont jingle. Even un-expanded there is lots more space inside than i was expecting.
General use
The top load zips open generously making it pretty easy to load them. The side pockets are rather small and i find them mostly only useful for spare change and a second pair of gloves (i like to keep my warm gloves with me in case it gets chilly in the evening after work). I can also cram my helmet skirt in a side pocket if needed. They are semi solid so they hold their shape well even when empty. The bottom of the bags slide on the rails and locks down with a quick disconnect cam buckle strap, the top uses a large velcro strap across the pillion seat. I worried during initial install that this may not be too secure. I no longer have any concerns about this as ive done several freeway blasts (up to the ton, but not sustained) and one 3 hour afternoon ride down country roads averaging 50 mph with lots of turns and the bags didnt budge.
Capacity
I typically use these bags so as not to wear a backpack for the daily commute. So most of the time i only have a few small items with me. On occasion i have loaded them pretty good for random needs. Please dont laugh at the examples i give, this is just to show the day to day usefulness. I on one occasion found that a 6 roll package of the extra thick charmin fits gracefully in one bag. Last week i bought $50 worth of meat for a BBQ and fit it all in the bags. Every week i need to bring water to work to keep my little fidge at the shop stocked. Id hate to have to drive the cage just for a case of water. So for reference, i put 24 16oz bottles of water, one monster energy drink and an apple for breakfast split between the two bags. They didnt mind the weigh at all. No sagging or anything worrisome. In all this i have yet to need to unzip the expandable section to increase capacity. So in summation while these may not be the best long haul/touring set up available, they are a great option for the city commuter. Lightweight, easily/quickly removable and enough room for most errands i run.
Final thoughts
There are some small details that id like to point out that i think are nice little touches. One is the little reflective piping on the sides of the bags helping increase night time visibility. Another is the fact that the bags both have a handle and one handle has a velcro wrap on it. I think is is cool because if i ever took any overnight trip and checked into a hotel, the bags will attach to eachother at the handles when removed (which is quick cuz its one velcro strap and 2 quick connect latches) making them into a sort of little suitcase that is easily handled with one hand.
I almost bought the Yamaha branded version of these bags but revzilla had them on sale for a price that was hard to beat.
Anyway, for a lightweight saddle bag set at a reasonable price i am very satisfied with these. My only complaint is the strap across the pillion seat looks a little goofy. I may have to find a way to route that under the seat eventually.

Hey all - just returned from a 17 day, 3,000 mile tour from Calif to the Utah/Colorado/Arizona canyonland country. I ride a BMW GS 1200 but purchased a 2015 FZ 07 for my daughter to ride with me. Just wanted to review the mods I did to turn this great street bike into a touring bike. My daughter is 5'5" with a 30" inseam, so all of the small adventure-touring bikes like the VStrom 650 that had many of these mods already were much too tall for her. Likewise the sport tourer version of the FZ07 that is available now in Europe has the taller seat height and wouldn't have worked even if it had been available here.
Upgrades:
(Some of the mods that I did I got from other posts in this forum, so thanks to all who contribute!)
· Tall V-Stream windshield plus X-Creen adjustable wind deflector – Even after installing the tall V-Stream I felt there was an unacceptable amount of wind (and bugs and noise) directly hitting the face shield.The X-Creen variable angle wind deflector that clips onto the top of the windshield was the perfect addition - still allows the driver to see over the windshield but diverts wind blast to top of helmet. No cleaning the faceshield every hour in buggy riding!
· Handlebar risers plus instrument riser – The risers allow a much more upright and comfortable riding position for touring. Raising the handlebars does however require that the instrument panel also be raised so as not to be partially blocked by the higher handlebar, and so requires an instrument riser mod.
· Shad semi-hard E48 side bags plus frame mount – Unlike soft bags, these are very stable in the wind and are held away from the rear wheel by a small frame mount (which has low visual impact when the bags are not mounted). I have tried regular soft bags in the past and don't consider them acceptable for touring trips of more than a few days. These Shads work really well without breaking the bank.
· Custom rear rack (replaces rear seat) - I struggled with this one. None of the manufacturers seems to have a good solution for adding both side bags and a trunk. I felt the trunk mounts that were available put the trunk way too far back for good weight distribution and also made the rear end look unbalanced. So I came up with the idea of using the existing rear seat base as the supporting structure for a platform that would hold the trunk closer in to the driver but still allow for a waterproof duffel bag with camping gear to be strapped behind the driver and in front of the trunk. Since the custom platform attaches using a rear seat mount (available for $75 from Yamaha), it can be swapped out with the original rear seat using the bike key in seconds with no tools.
· Center stand – Essential to me for easy oil changes as well as for chain adjustment or tire repair while on the road.
· Mirror extenders – These push the mirrors out about 3", greatly improving the rear view past your shoulders.
· Tank bag with wired 12V connection – I had an existing small tank bag with straps, so I attached four straps to existing bolts on the tank. Easy to unhook at gas fill-ups. The 12v connection into the tank bag is waterproof and has a powered USB port inside the bag so you can keep your phone/electronics powered while riding.
· LED “always-on” rear lights – This mod swaps out the rear turn signals with LED lights that stay on for better visibility from the rear. Naturally they still operate as turn signals.
· GoCruise throttle lock – A simple addition to relieve your throttle wrist during long straight sections. Not a cruise control, but still quite helpful on long rides.
· Frame sliders – I wouldn't count on these for sliding on at speed, but they do protect the engine and tank in case of tip over at standstill, which she tried once - no damage or scratches to bike!
· Radiator guard - keeps rocks out of radiator.
· Custom holder for a spare quart of fuel. With the small tank and the remote roads I planned on going on I felt it useful to bring at least a little spare fuel. At 60mpg, one liter would get us another 15 miles if needed. Never used it, but good for peace of mind.
· Helmet holder - Attaches to license plate bolts. This would not stop a thief with a bolt cutter, but provides an easy place to lock a helmet while you make a short stop at a restaurant or store.
This setup worked great for us. I felt that all of the luggage was very well attached to the bike, nothing ever loose or flapping, even with a few days of 80+ mph riding (some Utah freeways have an 80mph limit). The items in the Givi trunk and in the waterproof duffel were of course water proof. The Shad bags came with waterproof covers but everyone said those could not be counted to stay on at speed, so we carried plastic bags as liners if needed. In the short duration rains we experienced, nothing in the Shads got wet.
Suffice it to say that my daughter and I were very happy with the FZ-07 as a touring bike with these mods! I hope this provides incentive for others to think about getting out for some longer trips with their bike.
p.s. Sad to say that my daughter is now moving overseas, so the bike is going to be sold. If you know anyone that may be interested, here is the link:
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/d/yamaha-fz-07-with-touring/6324568633.html
Custom rack platform replaces rear seat. In addition to providing a trunk mount, straps holders enable secure mounting of a waterproof duffel bag.
Bottom view of platform showing attached rear seat pan, which acts as the mounting for the platform and can be easily removed and replaced with the original rear seat.